Be Meek

44 - Meekness

Meekness is not a weakness. Rather, it is quite the opposite, as it is POWER under control. It is a quality of pure strength and confidence. Meekness is the ability to choose to remain gentle and in complete control of yourself, your actions, and your responses, despite being angered, frustrated, or irritated. This takes tremendous practice and can be cultivated through mindful awareness of thoughts in meditation and prayer. Like the quality of love, the meaning of the word meekness is often misunderstood and misrepresented. There is a loss of humility in society today, which is a requirement for this highly esteemed value. Leaders should seek to harness and engage in the strength and discipline of this precious and powerful quality only found in the most refined, polished, and accomplished leaders.

Characteristics of Meekness:

Strength. It takes disciplined confidence in yourself to control an innate desire to defend or lash out when harmed in some way. The vast amount of strength needed to remain in control when faced with an unfavorable and adverse event causes meekness to be an immensely admirable quality to possess. It takes a confident and self-aware leader to fully embrace this quality and grow it into a reflexive habit.
Self-control. A great amount of restraint is needed to display meekness. You must confidently align with your values and fully control yourself and your actions. It will take disciplined and intentional practice to choose with each unfavorable interaction or situation to respond in humble meekness, showing massive amounts of strength under control.
Freedom. There is freedom in having perfect control of your actions and reactions. When you program your mind as outlined in Elevate Your Mind to Success, your reactions will be automatic and aligned with your belief system, providing confidence and a freeing sense of serenity with a clear consciousness of abiding by your moral compass. There is no fear, no regret, and an exuberant amount of peaceful and positive vibrations of body, mind, and spirit.
Reverence. Respect for yourself and your Creator is displayed as you engage in restraint and self-control under duress. You also show gracious respect for the offender, despite the possibility it is not deserved. This is also a great display of strength.
Willingness. In regards to Jesus, no one took His life. He willingly laid it down. That showed his sacrificial and unconditional love for us and His many other great examples of meekness. You too can show strength through meekness by willingly choosing calm and self-controlled responses while acting kindly toward others. How you respond is a willing and intentional choice that is yours to make.
Trust. Meekness involves faithfulness that you are making the right choices because you are operating in conjunction with your moral compass. You also trust your ability to remain in control and calmly respond even when situations are less desirable. You are secure in interacting with others and trust that everything will work out for good.
Love. Kindness and love are consistent characteristics of meekness. When you are calm, gentle, and in a peaceful spirit, acting with confidence and self-awareness, you are able to show kindness and compassion towards others, despite potentially unfavorable circumstances.
Righteousness. Faithfulness to a high moral standard, your belief system, coincides with meekness. Do not let the adversaries sway you when they disagree with your stance. While they may become heated and offensive, show integrity as your conduct conforms to your sense of right and wrong. With honesty, humility, and strength, allow your virtues to keep you self-controlled and confident as you respond.
Patience. Great patience is always necessary for meekness, as much endurance is needed to withstand misfortune or even untruth. You may not know the future outcome, but if you proceed with self-control and kindness, you can be confident that you acted appropriately and will have no regrets about your response. You may even win someone over based on your actions or perhaps positively affect someone else’s behavior. Be patient as you go through difficult circumstances, be mindful of your body, mind, and spirit, and act gently yet meekly.
Contentedness. A peaceful and content spirit leaves your soul feeling joy-filled when you remain in control, especially during or after a very trying circumstance. When you are able to mindfully think before you act or react and show controlled restraint, you will have a sense of satisfaction with the knowledge you acted in good faith and with integrity. You have a calm and tranquil spirit and are in control of your emotions.
Courage. It takes courage to humble yourself or show restraint when someone else speaks untruthfully or in an unfair and heated manner. It is easy and even instinctive to want to fire back an equally offensive shot. But to what avail? Regret and intense, unsettling feelings will prevail, with potentially burned bridges and damaged relationships. Show strength of mind to endure despite the insecure and potentially evil ways of another. Be brave to stand up with meekness for justice. Have the courage to act with righteousness.
Humility. It takes strength and intention to choose to surrender to someone else willingly. It does not mean you failed or gave up, but you chose to defer to them. In the case of meekness, you choose not to be defensive and emotional but remain calm and in control of yourself and your actions. You are gentle in your responses and considerate in your approach. In humility and despite their behavior, you offer respect, goodness, and attention to their concerns and charges. You are the stronger person and the one in control.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5

“Being meek does not mean weakness, but it does mean behaving with goodness and kindness, showing strength, serenity, healthy self-worth, and self-control.” Ulisses Soares

“The ceaseless chagrin of a self-centered life can be removed at once by learning Meekness and Lowliness of heart. He who learns them is forever proof against it. He lives henceforth a charmed life.” Henry Drummond

“The meek are not those who are never at all angry, for such are insensible; but those who feeling anger, control it, and are angry only when they ought to be. Meekness excludes revenge, irritability, morbid sensitiveness, but not self-defense, or a quiet and steady maintenance of right.” Anonymous